Milk-bottle lock



t J. J. QUINN.

MILK BOTTLE LOCK.

APPLICATION FILED APR-2B. 1920.

Patented Nov. 30, 1920.

' INVENTORL kw gum.

I "BY /1 TTORNEY.

- UNITED OFFICE i AMES J. QUINN, orfciinsrnn,lrnnnsynvamn.

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To allwhomz't may concern: v v I Be it known that I, JAMES J. QUINN, "a citizen of the United 'States, residingat Chester, in the county of Delaware and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Milk- Bottle Locks, of which the following is a specification. 7 I

This invention relates to a lock for milk or other bottles or-any' other article and has t I substantially so; The locking arm is then for its purpose to providemeans" whereby the bottles of milkdelivered to houses,

.apartments etc. may be securely lockedto prevent theft in the earlymorni'nghours.

Another purpose ofthe invention is to provide a device of this character which may be easily and quicklyv manipulated, and one which is of few parts.

After milk has been-deliveredit is very frequently stolen by pedestrains on their way to work in the early morning, and it also often happens that customers who have; received their milk refuse to pay for the same, claiming that it was stolen, audit is to prevent such occurrences as these that I have devised a unique locking device which I will now proceed to describe in detail, reference being had to the accompanying drawings in which: I

Figure 1 is a side elevation of the device shown in connection with a conventional door, the arm being partly in section to more clearly show the resilient tongue.

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary sectional view showing the connection between the bottle sleeve and locking arm, and

Fig. 3 is a plan view of the device on a, reduced scale.

The numeral 1 designates a bottle sleeve which is preferably made of -metal and which is slightly tapered thereby conforming with the taper of milk bottles and preventing their removal upwardly. For the purpose of saving metal the sleeve may be provided with cut-out portions2.

The bottle sleeve 1 is also provided with a horizontal slot 5 and passing therethrough is the locking arm 3, which has a down turned flange 6 on its inner end thereby securely but loosely connecting the sleeve and arm. A resilient tongue 7 is provided on the locking arm 3 and is preferably struckup therefrom.

The loweredge of the sleeve 1 may be curved upwardly as shown at 9, thereby conforming roughly with the shape of the to open the door and slip thedevice lunder the free edge thereof; or the device may be released by depressing the'resilient tongue ordinaiysill 11 of the door 10. This curva- Specification oflettersfatent. ,Patehted Nov, 30, 1920, Application filed ril 28,1920.- swam. 377,325.

ture is, of course, 'byno means essential and 'it'may benoted here; that m locking device operates equally wellwhet eror not the door is provided with a sill.

In operation, the xneck' of the bottle is passed upwardlythrough the lower end of the sleeve andthen when the bottle 'isplaced j on the fl oor the sleeve slips down until the bottom of the'bottle and sleeve are flush or inserted" under'the lower edge of. the door,

door edge until ithas passedbeyond it, when it will springupwardly and prevent the device from being withdrawn provided thedoor remains closed. Briefly stated, the resilient-ftongue locks the sleeve to the door, and the bottle is locked in the sleeve by the tapering effect.

To remove the bottle it is only necessary from then opening the door. I If desired the locking arm may be provided with an aperture for the purpose of suspending it in a convenient positionfor access by the milkman.

While Ihave described the sleeve as taper-v ing, it is to be understood thatthis is only member 7 with the foot, or otherwise; and

illustrative, and that the sleeve may be of any shape that will prevent the upward removal of a bottle or'other receptacle.-

Further it is obvious that the sleeve and locking arm may bemade integral, without departing in any sense from my invention;

Itis also obvious that any locking means capable of being passed under a door and then engaging the door to prevent its removal, may besubstituted for the resilient shown and it is therefore not my intention to be limited thereto. I

Thedevice has been particularly describedv be apparent thatit is equally well adaptable to use as a locking means in connection with any other article.

Having fully described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

' 1. A device of the character described including an article holding element, an arm attached thereto, an inclined resilienttongue attached to said arm, the arm and tongue as a means for locking bottles, but it will j of a closed door. I I v v g V 2. A device of the character described-ineluding a bottle holding element, anarm attached thereto, locking means secured to the arm, said locking means being capable oi insertion underthe edge of a closed door;

3. A device of the character described ineluding a bottle holding element, an arm attached thereto, and an upwardly inclined resilient ton ue attached to said arm the arm and tongue being capable'ofinsertion under the edge of; a'closed door; v

4. A device of the character described including a' bottle vholding. element, an arm loosely connected thereto, and resilient eluding an open-ended upwardly tapering tonguestruck up from said arm. I

A device of the character described in cluding a bottle sleeve, SELICl SlQGVQbGlIIg so shaped as to prevent the upward removal;

'5 the bottle, and lockingameans attached to the sleeve,lsaidv locking meansbeing capable of insertion under the edgeof a closed door.

6.: A device of the character described including an upwardly tapering bottle sleeve, an arm attached to said sleeve and locking means attached to the arm adjacent the free end thereof.

7. A device of the character described including an open ended upwardly tapering sleeve, an arm attached to said sleeve, and

an upwardly inclined resilient tongue attached to the arm.

8. A device of the character described including an open-ended upwardly tapering sleeve, said, sleeve provided with a slot, a flanged arm engaged within saidjslot, and an upwardly inclined resilient tongue struck from saidarm.

9., A device of the character described insleeve, said sleeve provided with-a slot, a

flanged arm-engagedwithin said slot, and an upwardly inclined resilient tongue struck from said arm, said sleeve having a cut-away portion substantially conforming with the curvature of a door-sill.

JAMES J..Q,UINN. 

